Officials Report Army Suicides Rise Again

[HK4U]

I am very much afraid this war is taking a heavy toll on our young men and women. Many are having to go back for a third tour of duty. Now we are talking about Iran. We are in danger of spreading ourselves way to thin. I shudder to think what will happen if we are invaded with all of or military despised all over the globe. We all need to be praying for our service men and women and their family's.

Officials Report Army Suicides Rise Again - Health News Story - KXAS | Dallas


Officials Report Army Suicides Rise Again
108 Reported To Have Taken Own Lives In 2007

POSTED: 1:06 pm CDT May 29, 2008
UPDATED: 1:30 pm CDT May 29, 2008


Two defense officials who asked to remain anonymous said Thursday that Army suicides were on the rise again last year.

The sources said 108 troops killed themselves in 2007, an increase of six from the year before. About one-quarter of the deaths occurred in Iraq.

The 108 deaths last year followed 102 in 2006, 85 in 2005 and 67 in 2004.

Last year's toll was the highest in many years, and it is unclear if it has ever been that high. Army records immediately available go back only as far as 1990, when there were 102 suicides.

The news came on the heels of new Pentagon figures released May 27 showing at least 40,000 U.S. troops have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder since 2003.

Army Surgeon General Eric Schoomaker said officials have no reliable figures on how many troops actually have PTSD or how many have sought treatment for it after serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because although officials encourage troops to get help, they sometimes go to civilian therapists and don't report it to the military.

Many service members don't report getting treatment -- or don't get help -- because they're embarrassed or fear it will hurt their careers.

Marines and Army soldiers have been the hardest hit.

[HowardCohodas]

Suicide is a sad thing. The fact that suicides are increasing is notable and being worked on to reduce them.

But ... I believe you will find that service suicides are less than the general population. Something to be said for the kind of people who volunteer to defend us.

[MrShotShot]

Originally Posted by HowardCohodas

Suicide is a sad thing. The fact that suicides are increasing is notable and being worked on to reduce them.

But ... I believe you will find that service suicides are less than the general population. Something to be said for the kind of people who volunteer to defend us.

Agreed.

The media is trying to position this story as a big anti-war and anti-Bush gotcha study when it's really not.

[Scarecrow]

it's always a sad thing when some one feels that the only way out is to take their own life. can only imagine how much stress those guys are always under.

[TR4A]

Originally Posted by HowardCohodas

Suicide is a sad thing. The fact that suicides are increasing is notable and being worked on to reduce them.

But ... I believe you will find that service suicides are less than the general population. Something to be said for the kind of people who volunteer to defend us.

I agree. The national average for the same demographics is still higher.